How Creativity Works: Animated video - Wow!

IMAGINE: How Creativity Works from Flash Rosenberg on Vimeo.

Thanks to Language Teaching Professionals for pointing this out!

Everything you know about curriculum may be wrong. Really. | Granted, and...

Everything you know about curriculum may be wrong. Really. | Granted, and...: "...[T]hough we often lose sight of this basic fact, the point of learning is not just to know things but to be a different person – more mature, more wise, more self-disciplined, more effective, and more productive in the broadest sense" (Wiggins, 2012.03.12)

'via Blog this'

After Google Reader: Getting organized in Feedly

The transition into Feedly from Google Reader is seamless, and what you can do there is amazing! Once you have your feeds in Feedly, you can add them to new categories, and reorganize them into multiple categories.  All will backwash to Google Reader, till it goes belly up on the first of July:

We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. (Official Blog, A second spring of cleaning, 2013.03.13)

For example, in the screenshot below, there is a Language . . . feed in a topic grouping (Languages and Learning), as well as in another source grouping (Facebook). Likewise, there are social groupings, such as KGUW_13-14, new mash-ups for an instructional cohort, and Learning with Computers, connections from a series of professional development workshops.

It is also possible to rename feeds in Feedly displays. For example, in the Wikispaces (source) category feed  listing above, all five current items look the same. The feed names need to be trimmed back to the essential wiki titles, for ease of reading at a glance in Feedly displays.

[212 words]

Notes on Schleicher's TED Talk

Schleicher, Andreas. (2012, July). Use data to build better schools. TED Global 2012 [posted February 2013]. Retrieved from: http://www.ted.com/talks/andreas_schleicher_use_data_to_build_better_schools.html

measuring performance in terms of:
extrapolation,
application, and
preparation for change

PISA (http://www.oecd.org/pisa/)
79 school systems
delivering equity and excellence
spending explains less than 20% of the differences
how money gets spent matters a lot more

range of factors
making "choices that value education, their future, more than consumption today"
embracing "diversity with differentiated pedagogical practices"
personalizing "learning opportunities"

maximizing quality of teachers
recruitment, selection, training, … and beyond

Sources of info. on social collaboration

In the sidebar, MindStream | FCG MindLink . . . points to a number of sites related to social collaboration:

1. Beagle Research Group, LLC
2. The Social Workplace
3. blogs.technet.com/b/drrez/rss.aspx
4. Jeff Schertz's Blog
5. OpenEnded
6. The BrainYard - RSS
7. www.dowbrook.com/blog/feed
8. Social Business Advisor: Enterprise Collaboration Strategy
9. ITSinsider
10. Andrew McAfee's Blog
11. feeds2.feedburner.com/GilYehuda
12. ZDNet | Enterprise Web 2.0 Blog RSS
13. ZDNet | Collaboration 2.0 Blog RSS
14. The BrainYard - News RSS

'via Blog this'

Google Search for "online teaching"

A Google Search this morning (online teaching), turned up a couple of interesting hits. That is, they were interesting enough for me to review and then tag them in Diigo, a social bookmarking system that I use for micro-blogging instead of Twitter. I've replicated the two tagged entries below.

The first, Starter.co.nz, I thought may be of interest to teachers of young learners, who can browse previews of available resources, and decide whether such a subscription service would be of value to them or their schools. So I posted it to the Classroom 2.0 group, as I was adding it to my list of Educational Technology items.

Home | starters.co.nz

A follow-on to the no longer active http://www.teachingonline.org/ site, "starters.co.nz is a web-based subscription resource for schools featuring over 1600 quality pdf, ready-to-use lesson plans including digital resources such as videos and websites that enhance and add depth to the lessons. / Our lessons are based on and cover all areas of the New Zealand Curriculum and are grouped for Yrs 1–4 and Yrs 4–9+. / starters is particularly useful for printing out easy-to-follow quality lessons for relieving teachers" (deck, 2013.02.03).

more from www.starters.co.nz 

- Not Cached - Edit - Delete -

Share▼ 

- Preview

education lessons New Zealand resources schools starters&strategies subscriptions teachers teaching videos websites

in group: Classroom 2.0

in list: Educational Technology

The second, from the Designing for Learning website, has an intended audience of university faculty members new to online teaching, or interested in imporving their online teaching practices. So I decided to post it to the Moodle4Teachers group, as well as two others to which I belong, and cross-listed in both my Educational Technology and my Faculty Development lists.

Designing for Learning: Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online: Quick Guide for New Online Faculty

On this page, Boettcher explains, "ten best practices for anyone just getting started in the online environment. Research and experience suggest that these practices contribute to an effective, efficient and satisfying teaching and learning experience for both faculty and students" (para. 2, retrieved 2012.02.03 ["Minor revisions May 2011"]).

more from www.designingforlearning.info 

- Cached - Text View - Edit - Delete -

Share▼ 

- Preview

activities communities discussions education feedback faculty groups hints learning online personalization practicessocial presence support teachers teaching universities

in group: LearningwithComputers, Moodle4Teachers, Classroom 2.0

in list: Faculty Development, Educational Technology

When I returned again to the Google Search page, I noticed Google also had spotted "49 [other] items in ... [my] Diigo Library." Please feel free to check them out, too, and if you have any favorites or hot picks of your own, please share them in return.

Two articles, one after the other: 1 + 1 = 0.5?

Toward the end of last year, two extremely similar articles about one study showed up in social media networks for language educators worldwide. Both articles splashed on sensational headlines to make it sound almost like the findings represented everyone in Japan – population: 127 million (2010 estimate, WolframAlpha). 

1. Nearly 90% dissatisfied with Japan's English education: survey – The Mainichi, December 3, 2012; and
• Arama, they didn't! LiveJournal, December 4, 2012
• 21st Century English Langauge Learners, Teachers and Administrators: Ajaan Rob Hatfield, Scoop.it, December 5, 2012
• TESOL Intl Assn, Twitter, December 5, 2012
2. Japanese highly unhappy with English education quality in the country – Ida Torres, The Japan Daily Press, December 4, 2012
• TESOL International Association, English Langauge Bulletin; December 12, 2012
• ELT Professionals around the World: Ian Butler, LinkedIn, c. December 15, 2012

Neither of those two articles cites the Rakuten Research study in a way that enables readers to find it easily. Nor do any of the other as-is social media representations of the articles shed any additional light on the subject.

If you're interested in reading either the original Rakuten Research press release, or the online report, both dated November 21, 2012; they're here:

• 楽天リサーチ、「日本の英語教育」に関する調査を発表 (press release)
• http://corp.rakuten.co.jp/news/press/2012/1121_02.html
• Apparently not published in English (press releases [2012])
• 日本の英語教育に関する調査 (report)
• http://research.rakuten.co.jp/report/20121121/
• PDF: http://research.rakuten.co.jp/report/pdf/english_20121121.pdf
• Though the filename seems to suggest that the PDF is in English, it isn't.

At best, both articles cherry-picked findings from a Rakuten Research report covering only 1000 subjects, parents of children whom the articles describe variously as "underage" (Mainichi) or simply "young" (Torres). The survey actually involved 1000 16- to 69-year-old men and women with non-adult children (report, ¶1). The prospective population from which those 1000 responses derived included approximately two and a quarter million subscribed monitors (report, ¶1) earning points redeemable for Rakuten services – a response rate of approximately 0.04%.

[1 of] 7 Ways to Avoid Inbox Overload When Collecting Assignments

Richard Byrne made DROPitTOme sound like a winner:

"DROPitTOme works by synchronizing with your Drop Box account. After connecting the two services DROPitTOme provides a url that you can give to others to upload files to your Drop Box account." (Byrne, 2011.09.06, 7 Ways..., DROPitTOme, ¶2).

Free Technology for Teachers: 

7 Ways to Avoid Inbox Overload 

When Collecting Assignments 

(via Blog this)

This two-minute, silent video shows how to get started:

YouTube video: Uploaded by DROPitTOme on Oct 8, 2010

Two face drawing videos

Austin Kleon

HOW TO DRAW FACES

MONDAY, JULY 27TH, 2009

http://www.austinkleon.com/2009/07/27/how-to-draw-faces/

Dave Gray | info

Videos – Drawing facial expressions

Thu, Oct 28, 2010

http://www.davegrayinfo.com/2010/10/28/drawing-facial-expressions/

Thanks to Nancy White for pointing these out in her Online Social Learning Practices - Benetec Slides (SlideShare, 2012.11.15).

An initial go at embedding from diagram.ly

It's hard to believe how easy it is to use this free diagramming tool. Thanks to who ever it was who pointed it out!

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

Here's a rebuilt view:

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

Networked Student - YouTube (2008.11.26)

Networked Student - YouTube: Uploaded by Wendy Drexler on Nov 26, 2008

"The Networked Student was inspired by CCK08, a Connectivism course offered by George Siemens and Stephen Downes during fall 2008. It depicts an actual project completed by Wendy Drexler's high school students." 

(YouTube description, link added)

The Networked Student (Drexler, 2008)

'via Blog this'

Massive open online c... ?

Curiosity consumed me, and Google provided some intriguing results today (2012.09.11):

• "massive open online course" – over 400,000 hits;
• "massive open online conference" – eight (8) hits, all from 2011; 
• "massive open online community" – six (6) hits, all from 2012; and
• "massive multiplayer online games" – over two million hits, for sake of comparison.

Though the middle two searches above for "... conference" and "... community" include a few redundancies, the recency of those few hits may indicate avenues for if not of innovation. 

Co-authoring acknowledgement

I co-authored this essay with ... (& ...). We used content from our previous, individual essay posts (1-02a-b).

Individual essay posts (1-02a-b)

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Here are links to each of our co-authored essays:

Joint essay posts (1-02c)

This very post! (2012.06.21)
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Spell with flickr

Thanks to Isabelle Jones for point[ing] this out as a tool capable of supporting "development of both writing and speaking skills" (My Languages, Memory Joggers..., 2012.06.01). Check it out!